A new project for Young Son.....

[terriphill]

Looks like a new project in the house. Our youngest is 14 and needs a garage project. We picked this up today on e-bay.
We will be picking it up next weekend. It runs (barely)but for $355 we figure it may be a good project to cut his teeth on. -Plus it keeps him away from my B

 

[Banjo]

first order of business is to inspect the floorboards. Especially right behind the front wheelwells, where the reenforcement rail is welded. they were known for rot there. and that is a major structural part of the car. Other than that, old "Z" cars are shweet!!! I love 'em.. oh yea, except for the ones with the early fuel injection... electronic control, no diag link... ugh... It takes someone who has experience with them to figure 'em out
Either way, pics look great! ought to be tons of fun.

 

[Silverghost]

Hmmmmm.......Datsuns were built in Japan, Japan was a british colony once, so Datsun's are LBC's?! :laugh:

 

[Banjo]

Story goes that the design was lifted almost directly from the Austin Healey.
The carburated cars ran Mikunis, they're just a Japaneese SU.
So there really is a huge LBC crossover into the Z-cars

 

[DrEntropy]

Mikuni carbs are SU clones, I can't possibly articulate the angst we should feel over that.

 

[JamesWilson]

Hmmmmm.......Datsuns were built in Japan, Japan was a british colony once, so Datsun's are LBC's?! :laugh:

Oh, no! Japan is quite proud of never having been anyone's colony....


A 240Z is potentially a very, very nice acquisition....

 

[JPSmit]

Not colony

Occupied Japan 1945-1952

Legal agreement with Nissan

In 1952 Austin entered into a legal agreement with the Nissan Motor Company of Japan, for that company to assemble 2000 imported Austins from partially assembled sets and sell them in Japan under the Austin trademark. The agreement called for Nissan to make all Austin parts locally within three years, a goal Nissan met. Nissan produced and marketed Austins for seven years. The agreement also gave Nissan rights to use Austin patents, which Nissan used in developing its own engines for its Datsun line of cars. In 1953 British-built Austins were assembled and sold, but by 1955, the Austin A50 – completely built by Nissan and featuring a slightly larger body with 1489 cc engine – was on the market in Japan. Nissan produced 20,855 Austins from 1953-59.[1] (Wikipedia)

 

[racingenglishcars]

The Datsun pushrod A-series was a direct copy of the Austin engine.
The Datsun OHC engine is a direct copy of a Mercedes 230 - 280 engine, except the Datsun changed it to a cross flow head.
The FI is from Bosch D-Jetronic

 

[tony barnhill]

Boy, hydee!! I've been looking for a good 240Z - 260Z for a long time...if you found a solid one, you've scored a win!! Those things seemed to rust worse than our cars....

 

[JPSmit]

OK, someone has made the LBC/ Datsun connection here. Surprisingly, it looks better than I thought it might (to these eyes anyway)

https://hamilton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1971-Datsun-240Z-W0QQAdIdZ81442829

 

[terriphill]

We picked up the Z today. Young son's first comment was that it was a lot like my british car. How interesting that he could see this before I even realized this connection.
On e-bay tonight....

1969 Datsun 1600

 

[terriphill]

or this one...
Datsun

 

[Banjo]

a good frind of mine has a Datsun 2000 solex. That thing is FAST! and it handles awsome. those are great little cars.

 

[weewillie]

he shoehorned that in there nicely JP

 

[RonMacPherson]

Okay, I see an auto selector.

The auto's were pretty reliable when the oil was changed regularly. If it has been neglected, either a rebuild or replace with a manual. Both strong. Good strong driveline. Engine is pretty solid. Time will wear the timing chain tensioner, but pulling that is relatively easy. Oil pumps were pretty common wear items, and again easy to replace. Early injection,,,,,,can be swapped for early carbs, Mikuni/SU clones which offer quite acceptable performance.

Hopping up is easy, cam, headers, and intake.

Lemme know if you need any of the injector stuff.
My friend has just converted his to Webers. Actually a McBerney GTO kit.... and he hasn't ebayed any of the Fuel stuff yet..

 

[weewillie]

he will have a lot of fun with that and a great learning experience

 

[Silverghost]

I like the 420 Z - as opposed to a 240 Z! :laugh:

Asking price of $9000 seems cheap for all the work that went into that car. I'd look twice at it if I had a spot for it.

 

[billspohn]

The Japanese made better engines and transmissions based on the British stuff than the British did.

For some reason, until the 240Z, they always failed miserably in the styling department (well, the Tyota 2000GT was no slouch, but all the rest looked dated or awkward).